The Russellville Democrat., 1887-12-07

never thirst.
 Oh, that one would give me drink of the water of tho well of Bethlehem. which is by the gate
 Again, this Gospel well, like the one spoken of in the text, is a captured well. David remembered the time when that good water of Bethlehem was in the pos- session of his ancestors. His father drank there, his mother drank there He remem- bered how the water tasted when boy and came up there from play.
 We never forget the old well we used to drink out of when we were boys or girls. Thers was something in it that blessed the lips and refreshed the brow better than any thing we have found since. As we think of that dear old well tho memories of the past flow into each other like crys- tallne drops, sum -glinted. and all the more as we remember that the hands that used to lay hold the rope and the hearts that beat against the well-curb are still now. We never get over these rem iniscences. George P. Morris, the great song writer of the country. once said to me that his song, "Woodman, Spare That Tree" was sung in great concert hall, and the memories of early life were so wrought upon the audience by that song, that after the singing was done an aged man arose in the audience, over whelmed with emotion, and said: sir, will you please to tell me whether the woodman really spared the tree?" We never forget the tree under which we played. We never forget the fountain at which we drank. Alas for the nan who has no early memories!
 David thought of that well, that boy hood well, and he wanted a drink of it, but he remembered that tho Philistnes had captured it. When those three men tried to come up to the we'll in behalf of David, they saw swords gleaming around about it. And this is true of this Gospel well. The Philistines have at times captured it. When we come to take full, old fash toned drink of pardon and comfort, do not their swords of indignation and sarcasm fash2 Why, tho skeptics tell us that we can not come to this fountain! {! They say the water is not fit to drink, any how. ''If you are really thirsty now, there is the well of philosophy, there is the well of art, there is the well of science" They try to substitute, instead of our boyhood faith, modern mixture. They say great many beautiful things about the soul, and they try to feed our immortal hunger on rose- leaves, and mix mint-julep of worldly stimulants, when nothing will satisfy us but
 A drink of the water of the well of Bethle- hem, whichls by the gate.
 They try to starve us on husks, when the Fathers banquet is ready, and the best ring is taken from the casket, and the sweetest harp is struck for the music, and the swiftest foot is already lifted for the dance. They patronize Heaven and abolish hell, and try to measure eternity with their hour-glass and the throne of the great God with their yard abhor it. I tell you the old Gospel we'll is a captured well. I pray God that there may be spn,7whare in the elect host three anointed men with courage enough to go forth in the strength os the omnipotent God, with the glittering swords of truth, to hew the way back again to that old well.
 l think the tide is turning, and that the old Gospel is to take it's place again in the family, and in the university, and in the legislative hall. Men have tried worldly philosophies, and have found out that they do not give any comfort, and that they drop an Arctic midnight upon the death- pillow. They fail when there is dead chill in ths house; and when the soul comes to leap into the fathomless ocean of eternity, they give to the man not so much as broken spar to cling to. Depend upon it that well will come into our possession again, though it has been captured. If there be not three anointed men in the Lords host with consecration to do the work, then the swords will leap from Jehovah's buckler, and the eternal three will descend-Cod the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Ghost--conquering for our dying race the way back again to-
 The water of the well of Bethlehem, which is by the gate.
 If God be for us, who can be against usf
 If God spared not his own son, hut freely gave him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things.
 For am persuaded that neither height, nor depth, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Shall take from us into final captivity, the Gospel of my blessed Lord Jesus Christ.
 Again, the Gospel well, like the one spoken of in my text, is well at the gate. The traveller stops the camel to- day and gets down and dips out of the val ley of the East some very beautiful, clear, bright water, and that is out of the very well that David longed for. Do you know that that well was at the gate, so that mo- body could go into Bethlehem without going right past its And so it is with this Gospel well--it is at the gate. It is, in the first place, at the gate of purifica- tion. We can not wash away our sins unless with that water. I take the respons ibility of saying that there is no man, woman or child in this house to-day that has escaped sinful de- filement. Do you say it is outrageous and ungallant for mo to make such charge? Do you say, sI have never stolen--I have never blasphemed-I have never committed unchastity-I have never been guilty of murderW l reply, you have committed sin worse than blas- phemy, worse than unchastity, worse than theft, worse than murder. We have all committed it. We have by our sin re- crucifed the Lord, and that IS deicide. And if there be any who dare to plead mot guiltyv to the indictment, then the hosts of Heaven will be impaneled as a jury to render unanimous verdict against us. With what slashing stroke that one passage cuts us away from all our pretensions:
 There is none that doeth good-no, no, one
 "Oh,n says some one, ''all we want, all the race wants, is development" Now l want to tell you that the race develops without the Gospel into Sodom, a Five Points, a Great Salt Lake City. It al- ways develops downward never upward, except as the grace of God lays hold of 1t. When, then, is to become of our soul with out Christi Punishment Disaster. But bless my Lord Jesus Christ that there is a well at the gate of pnrihcation. For great sin, great pardon. For eighty years of transgression, an eternity of forgive ness. For crime deep as hell, an atone ment high as Heaven:
 That where sin abounded, so grace may much more abound; that as sin reigned unto death, even so may grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.
 Angel of the Covenant, dip thy wing in this living fountain to- day, that our souls may be washed in 'the water of tho well of Bethlehem, which is by the gate"
 Further, f remark that this well of the